Key holder



p 193T; D. REITER I 1,822,502

KEY HOLDER F'iied May 8. 1929 I INVENTOR B Ai lorne s,

Patented Sept. 8, 1 931 DANIEL I. nnr'rnn, or nnwyonx, n. Y'.

KEY, HOLDER Application filed Kay 8, 1929. Serial No. 361,407.

This invention relates to improvements in key holders of the type whichcomprises a plate having a number of key-attaching links movably connected therewith at spaced intervals, the plate and links being adapted to be secured to a folder by which the holder and a number of attached keys may be enclosed in a convenient form to be carried in the pocket.

It is an object of the invention to provide a holder of the above-described character in which the various attaching links may be freely rotated upon their axes and may also be freely swung into positions extending beyond one end of the holder so that any desired key may be readily separated from the others, inserted in a lock, and turned to effect its intended purpose.

In the drawings illustrating preferred forms of theinvention Figure 1 is a face view of a completed holder embodying the above-described invention, the holder being mounted within a folder indicated in its open position and the holder being indicated as having a single key attached. I

Fig. 2 is a face view of a partly-completed holder from which the finished article indicated in Fig. 1 may be formed by bending the material.

' Fig. 3 is a view in cross-section through Fig. 2, the section being taken along the plane represented by the line 33 and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 4 is 4 a cross-sectional view of the finished holder formed by bending parts of the plate illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the holder illustrated in Fig. 4, parts thereof being broken away and parts indicated in cross-section.

' Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of holder.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, a holder embodying the. above-described in- -5 vention may comprise a plate 20 of suitable material, preferably metal, having a slot, or preferably a plurality of slots, 21, cuttherein in side-by-side relation. For reasons hereinafter to be described, each of said slots should have at one end a communicating opening or enlargement and means whereby such opening may be obstructed. As herein disclosed, the enlargement for each slot is produced by striking a lip of metal 22 from the portion of the plate opposite one end of the slot, thereby providing an opening 23 of a width somewhat greater than the width. of the slot.

A key may be conveniently attached to the above-described key-plate by means of an appropriate attaching link 24 having a snap hook 25 suspended therefrom. The link 24:

may have a stem 26 of a diameter such as to permit it to extend through one of the slots 21 in the plate 20. This stem may have at its free end a retaining element 27 of a size such as to prevent it from being passed through the slot 21. The enlargement 23 in the plate 20 may, however, be of dimensions such as to permit the insertion of the retaining element 27 if the lips 22 have firstbeen bent outwardly to the position indicated in Fig. 3.

The holder illustrated in Fig. 1 may be formed from the plate 20 shown in Fig. 2, and the key-attaching devices, illustrated as a part of Fig. 1, by passing the retaining element 27 of each attaching link through the opening 23, then moving the stem of the attaching link into the corresponding slot 21, then bending the lips22 back into the plane of the plate 20, and then rolling the slotted portion of the plate to the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 in which the edge 28 of the plate is brought to an abutting relationship with res ect to one of its surfaces along the zone 0 the enlargements 23 and their obstructing lips 22.

In rolling the slotted portion of the plate, the bending should be in such direction as to enclose the retaining elements 27 within the as iugs serve as obstructions an yond the end of the folder.

resulting cylindrical structure, so that the key-attaching links and hooks will be projected outwardly as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4.

The finished holder thus far described may, if desired, be secured to a leather folder 29, as indicated in Fig. 1, by appropriate fastenmeans such, for example, as rivets 30,- o e s 31 being provided in the plate for such purpose.

Keys 32, one of which is indicated in Fig.

1,-may then be snapped into en ing relatlonship with the hooks 25, and fiie folder may be provided with cover fla s 33, 34, whlch may be folded over the hol er and attached keys and secured by snap fasteners 35, 'or ot er appropriate securing means.

It w1ll be observed that the key-attaching links may turn freely u on their axes so that the keys may be cause to lie flat within the folder. Any key may be readily swung about the slot in the holder so as to separate it from the others and cause it to extend be- It may then be conveniently inserted in a lock and turned to operate a bolt or latch.

It will be noted that the rolling of the slotted portlon of the plate 20 to the form illusrated in Fig. 4 causes the resulting cylindrical structure to conceal the obstructing fingers It also brin the edge of the plate 1n direct contact wit the obstructing lips and tends to prevent them from being bent outwardly into their link-releasin positions. The edge of the rolled portion 0 the plate also traverses the line of o nings forming the enlargements at the en s of the slots so u that this edge portion would itself constitute an obstruction to the removal of the links if the obstructin lips were absent.

The modifi form of invention illustrated in Fig. 6 diflers from the form thus far described onl in that the enlargements 23 at the ends 0 the slots are indicated as having been formed by punchingout and removing the material, instead of as by striking u lips of material. as indicated in Fig. 2. en the invention is embodied in this form, the 28' of the'rolled portion of the plate is relied upon asthe obstructing meanswherebythe accidental-separation of the key-attaching links is prevented. This form of the invention is assembled by passing the retaining elements of the attaching links through the openings 23 when theplate 20' is flat. The slotted portion of the plate is then bent or rolled in such manner as to cause the retaining elements of the attaching links to be enclosed within the re'sultingmylindrical structure. The edge of the bent portion of the plate is brought into contact with one of its surfaces along the line of openings which form the enlargements at the ends of the slots, so that the portions overl ing the openthereby pre- The invention is not intended to be s to either of the specific forms herein closed for purposes of illustratlon, but should be regarded as including modifications and' variations thereof withm the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A key holder comprising a slotted plate, and a key-attachin link hav ng a stem passing through a slot in said plate and a retaming element of such size as to prevent its withdrawal, said plate having an obstructed opening therein communicating with sa1d slot and of a size exceeding that of said retaining element, the obstruction of said 0 ening comprisin a lip extending inwar ly from an adjoining portion of the plate to an extent suflicient to prevent the insertion or w1thdrawal of the retaining element of a keyattachinfi link. v

2. A ey holder, as defined by claim 1, having a plurality of slots and attaching links, as described, the slots being dispose in parallel arrangement, each with its communicating obstructed opening located at one end well within the body of the plate and 1ts other end adjacent one of its edges, the slotted ortion of the plate being curved and havmg 1ts edge adjacent the ends of the slots 1n an abutting relationship with respect to the surface of the plate adjacent its zone of obstructed opemn 3. A key hol er comprising a plate having a plurality of slots therein arranged in sideby-side relation, and a plurality of ofpemngs each communicating with an end 0 one of said slots and of such dimensions as to form an enlargement thereof, a plurality of key attaching links each having a stern passmg through one of said slots, and a retalnmg ele-' ment of such dimensions as to revent its withdrawal except throu h its on argement,

and a plurality of flexib e tongues comprisin portions of said plate extended into said en argements to obstruct the detachment of the attaching elements.

4.A key holder comprising a plate having a pluralit of slots therein arranged in side-by-side re ation, and a plurality o o nings each communicating with an end 0 one of said slots and of such dimensions as to form an enlargement thereof, a plurality of key-attaching links each having a stem passing throu b one of said slots, and a retaining T revent its element 0 such dimensions as to withdrawal except throu 'h its en argement, and a plurality of flexibiia tongues comprising portions of said plate extended into said enlargements to obstruct the detachment of the attaching elements, the slots and enlargements being so disposed that the slots may be in a curved portion of the plate having an edge portion in an abutting relationship with the surfaces of the tongues which extend into its enlargements.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

DANIEL I. REITER. 

